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"We are so excited about getting our season started with a 'W,' " WKU coach Mary Taylor Cowles said. "I'm just really pleased with the effort. We were able to get a win. We were able to put 95 points on the board and still see a whole lot of weaknesses in our basketball team.
"To be able to get a win and still be able to gain as much valuable information as we did is going to be very positive for us."
Click here for more photos from the game.
Friday's game was the debut for six of the 12 WKU players, but it was a pair of returning players that helped the Lady Toppers improve to 7-0 in season-openers under Cowles.
Arnika Brown led the way with a career night. The sophomore forward posted career highs -- in points with 26 and rebounds with 17 -- while senior forward Dominique Duck added 17 points and eight rebounds as four WKU players finished in double figures.
"Arnika just wants to play," Brown said. "That's my thing. Of course we'd all like to win games, but my main thing is to give Dominique the best senior year possible -- like we did Crystal Kelly and Charlotte Marshall and (Nadege) Muna last year."
Murray State raced out to a 5-0 lead and held the advantage throughout the opening six minutes.
WKU got its first lead of the game when Duck's drive to the basket made the score 13-11 with 13:05 left in the half. WKU extended the advantage to 22-13 after a layup from Brown midway through the half and increased the margin to 27-16 on a Duck layin with 8:32 remaining in the half.
Murray State kept it close, riding the hot shooting of Ashley Hayes. The senior guard was 8-for-11 from the field with 18 points, helping the Racers pull within 41-36 by halftime.
"That's why she was our conference player of the year last year," Murray State coach Rob Cross said. "That's why she put 26 on Duke in the NCAA Tournament. She's an outstanding player."
Hayes added six more points in the first two minutes of the second half to allow Murray to pull even 42-42 before the Lady Toppers used a 14-2 surge to stretch the lead back to 56-44 with 14:02 left. Brown had nine points during the run.
"(Brown) looked at me in the second half when Murray was making their run and said, 'Come on let's go,' " Duck said. "She put the team on her back and we fed off her. Once she picked it up, everybody stepped up."
WKU led by as many as 13 after a 3 from Vanessa Obafemi, but Murray State began to chip away, using a 5-0 run to cut the deficit to 73-67 with 7:24 remaining.
The Lady Toppers were able to answer, outscoring the Racers 10-1 over the next three minutes to build an 83-68 advantage.
Murray couldn't get any closer than 12 the rest of the way.
"It always feels good to win the first game of the season," Duck said. "I think everybody stepped up and played well. It felt good to pick up a good home win in Diddle."
Cross said the difference in the second half was rebounding -- especially Brown and Duck. Brown had 19 points and eight rebounds in the second half, including six offensive rebounds.
"We would get it down to six and Arnika would go get an offensive rebound again and put it back in and we'd foul her," Cross said. "Or Dominique would get an offensive rebound and put it back in and we'd foul her. We didn't do a great job of blocking out, but that's a tough assignment to block Arnika Brown out. She's a great player."
WKU shot 54.5 percent from the field and finished with just nine turnovers. The Lady Toppers had a 41-26 advantage on the glass.
Sophomore guard Amy McNear finished with 13 points and six assists, while Hope Brown added 12 points.
Hayes had 31 to lead the way for Murray State, while Amber Guffey added 23 points.
WKU will return to action at 2 p.m. Sunday, when it hosts No. 12 Vanderbilt.
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